World Series Begins October 24; MLB Drops Early Start Plan

Major League Baseball just made a pretty interesting call for the 2024 postseason. They’re scrapping the idea of starting the World Series early, even if both league championship series end quickly.

Instead, the Fall Classic is locked in to begin on October 24. It could stretch into November, which has kind of become the norm for modern baseball.

MLB also threw in some unique scheduling twists for the Division Series and Wild Card rounds. These changes could shake up strategy and pitching decisions in a big way.

MLB Sticks with Firm World Series Start Date

For 2024, MLB had the option to move the World Series up by three days if the ALCS and NLCS wrapped up early. The idea was to cut down on long layoffs for teams, but they decided not to go with it this season.

Game 1 of the World Series is set for October 24. If the series goes all seven games, Game 7 would land on November 1.

If it does reach Game 7, that’ll be the 10th time the World Series has spilled into November since 1985. The latest finish ever? That happened on November 5, 2022.

Historical Context of Early Series Endings

Since 1985, both leagues have only ended their pennant races in four or five games five times:

• 1989
• 2001
• 2002
• 2014
• 2022

That’s not a lot, honestly. MLB probably wants TV partners and fans to have a schedule they can count on.

The Friday Night Trend Continues

This will be the fifth year in a row that the World Series starts on a Friday night. Before 2022, that barely ever happened—the only other Friday opener was way back in 1915.

MLB seems to think Friday starts help ratings. Kicking off on a weekend probably gets more eyeballs before the series shifts to those midweek games.

Implications for Viewership and Media

Starting on a Friday lets the series build momentum as the weekend hits. That’s huge for getting fans engaged, whether they’re watching at the stadium, streaming, or just flipping on the TV.

Unique Scheduling in the Division Series

The 2024 National League Division Series has a quirky twist. There’s an extra off day between Games 1 and 2, which almost never happens in the playoffs.

With that extra rest, teams could use the same starting pitcher for Game 1 and Game 4, or for Game 2 and Game 5, all on regular rest:

• Game 1 and Game 4 — same starter possible
• Game 2 and Game 5 — same starter possible

ALDS and NLDS Start Dates

The ALDS sticks with the usual 2-2-1 format, starting on October 4-5. The NLDS also kicks off on October 4, but then pauses for that extra off day before picking up again.

This could give pitching staffs more options than they’re used to.

Wild Card Round and Championship Series Schedule

The postseason opens with the Wild Card round. All four best-of-three series run from September 30 to October 2, and every game happens at the higher-seeded team’s park.

ALCS and NLCS Timelines

The ALCS starts on October 12, and the NLCS on October 13. Both leagues get off days after Games 2 and 5, giving teams a breather for travel and maybe a little room to maneuver with pitching.

What This Means for Teams and Fans

The 2024 postseason calendar mixes tradition with a dash of change. MLB decided to keep the World Series start date locked in, which helps broadcasters, ticket sales, and fans making travel plans.

But there are some tweaks — like an extra off day in the NLDS and starting the World Series on a Friday. Stuff like that could affect how teams handle their rosters and how fans watch from home.

Whether we get quick sweeps or a dramatic seven-game showdown, late October and early November should bring the usual baseball fireworks. Teams are already eyeing the playoff picture, and now the calendar’s set. It’s all on the players to make it memorable.

 
Here is the source article for this story: World Series set for Oct. 24, MLB nixes flex start